Pegasus tops Oppn agenda in Parliament
NEW DELHI: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned on Friday as Opposition protests over the Pegasus snooping row in which the phones of key leaders, ministers, journalists and government functionaries were potentially targeted using military-grade spyware and the contentious farm laws continued to create a logjam in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
While Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked the protesting MPs to maintain decorum in the House, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury sought to raise certain issues but was not allowed.
During the Question Hour, Opposition members raised slogans and displayed placards, and were heard shouting “we want justice”.
Before the Lok Sabha was adjourned, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.
“I heard keenly the observation made by members of the Parliament. Yes, I wish the House is in order and discusses this bill... The government wishes to encourage public participation via this bill. I strongly request the House to consider this Bill and propose to pass this bill”, said Sitharaman.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 was
also introduced in the Lok
Sabha.
Calling the snooping row a “non-issue”, Union minister Pralhad Joshi said that the information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already made a detailed statement on the issue in both the
Houses.
The minister urged the opposition members to allow the Lok Sabha to function.
“There are so many issues directly related to the people of India... government is ready for discussions,” he said amid the din in the Lower House, adding Parliament is not being allowed to function and such behaviour is “unfortunate”.
“More than 315 members want the Question Hour. Despite that, behaving like this, it’s more unfortunate. IT Minister has given detailed statement in both the Houses. This is totally non-serious issue. Kindly allow the house to function,” Joshi said.
Vaishnaw had dismissed the reports of the use of Pegasus software to snoop on Indians, saying the allegations levelled just ahead of the session were aimed at maligning Indian democracy.
In a suo motu statement last week, he had said with several checks and balances being in place, “any sort of illegal surveillance” by unauthorised persons is not possible in India.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha got adjourned again for the second time till 2.30 pm on Friday following an uproar by the opposition parties on various issues. Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon amidst the ruckus.
After the House resumed post lunch at 2.30 pm, deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was in the chair, called for private member business.
The government introduced two bills -- the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moved a motion for consideration of the Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The bill was passed by a voice vote amidst the protest and sloganeering by the Opposition after a short reply from the minister.
The deputy chairman then adjourned the House till Monday 11 am.
When the House re-assembled at noon after the first adjournment for the Question Hour, several Opposition members trooped into the Well, some of them carrying placards, and started raising slogans against the government.
The House took up a few of the listed questions and the ministers concerned replied to the members’ queries.
However, as the sloganeering by the Opposition members continued, the deputy chairman adjourned the proceedings till 2.30 pm.
Earlier, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had adjourned the proceedings till 12 pm just as the members of the Congress, Trnamool Congress and other opposition parties stood up to raise the issues they have been pressing for since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 19.
Before adjourning the House, Naidu expressed concern over parliamentary dignity and prestige being compromised by MPs by conducts such as whistling and placing placards in front of the ministers speaking during their protests in the last few days. He appealed to the members to see that the decency and dignity of the House are maintained.
Thereafter, the listed official papers were laid on the table of the House. Naidu then called for the Zero Hour, where MPs raise issues of public importance. But just like the previous days, the Opposition MPs were up on their feet raising the snooping controversy, farm laws, fuel prices and other issues.
Parliament’s Monsoon session has been marred by continuous disruptions by opposition parties. Though the government has got a few bills passed amid the din, both the Houses have seen little debate, except for a brief discussion on Covid-19 in the Rajya Sabha.